Penne with Butternut Squash, Pesto and Almonds

2011 Macchia Zinfandel

About a month ago I posted a recipe for Pesto Sauce that is simple and a great use for all the basil that’s coming up in our garden. The recent cooler weather was perfect for cooking up a squash in the oven and adding some pesto sauce.

After a productive harvesting session of our basil patch, I mixed up a few batches of Pesto Sauce and put them in the freezer for that fresh, wonderful taste of summer later in the year. Our freezer is stocked with Marion berries, green beans, pesto sauce, basil, blueberries and some blackberries I foraged from a field near our home. Gosh, it’s fantastic to take advantage of the summer’s offerings.

The warmer weather looks to be around for a while so keep this recipe in mind for the middle of September into fall.

Wine pairing: Macchia Wines’ 2011 Mischievous Zinfandel. It’s easy to say a Sauvignon Blanc would pair well with a dish that features pesto sauce due to its tendency toward minerality but a medium-bodied Zinfandel will stand up to the basil, garlic and sharp and salty flavor of Parmesan (if you’re using Parmesan instead of nutritional yeast). I like my Pesto Sauce heavy on basil and garlic so Macchia’s Zinfandel was a bold move that did not disappoint.

Penne with Butternut Squash, Pesto and Almonds

Penne with Butternut Squash, Garden Fresh Pesto and Almonds

3 quarts water

8 oz whole wheat or brown rice penne

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 ½ lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼” thick sticks  *I actually use acorn squash

2 shallots, thinly sliced

¼ tsp pepper

½ C pesto

¼ C sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

In a 4-6 quart stockpot over high heat, bring water to a boil, add the penne and cook 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 10-12” skillet over medium high heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in the shallots, pepper, and the remaining ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash and shallots are tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving ½ C of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the pesto and the squash mixture. If it seems too dry, add ¼ to ½ C of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to plates or a platter and, if desired, garnish with almonds. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Note: I actually added cooked vegie burgers to boost the protein in this dish. If you’re going to do this, make sure you add more pasta water to the dish to keep everything moist.

Adapted from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch

 

Oat Bran Muffins

Today is the 21^st wedding anniversary for my husband and me so I thought I’d share the flower bouquet he picked and designed for me this morning. He used to buy me the most gorgeous roses from the since defunked Coventry Garden next to Olive Garden by the mall. When ‘his money’ and ‘my money’ became ‘our money’ I no longer wanted it used to buy things so temporary (I’d rather travel) so a hand-picked bouquet of sage, rosemary, coreopsis and lavender is absolutely perfect. The bonus is that it smells even better than roses and the herbs can be used for cooking when the flowers start to wilt.

Anniversary bouquet with yard flowers and herbs

As I’ve mentioned, I enjoy oatmeal most mornings for breakfast. I don’t even know if I so much enjoy that every morning as it’s just one less thing I have to put energy into thinking about, you know?

Sometimes, however, pancakes or French toast or range free scrambled eggs or muffins with some fruit sounds nice. I found a good Oat Bran Muffin recipe thirteen years ago that I’ve since adapted considerably (as I have a habit of doing). My most recent efforts have created a really terrific muffin that’s healthier than it originally was. Two of these coupled with a sliced mango and the morning is definitely looking up.

Oat Bran Muffins

Oat Bran muffins

1 ¼ cup nonfat milk (I use soy or almond)

Whites of 2 eggs (I use 2 Tbsp tapioca flour and 2 Tbsp water)

2 large overripe bananas

¼ cup maple sugar (or agave nectar)

2 ¼ cup oat bran

1 Tbsp baking powder

2 Tbsp chopped almonds

¼ cup shredded coconut (the unsweetened kind is great)

Handful of raisins -or- blueberries

Combine all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl. Blend. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the wet ingredients. Blend. Add a handful or raisins or blueberries, if using and mix briefly to incorporate. Fill greased muffin tins. Bake at 450 degrees until top of muffins are brown (about 15 minutes). Makes 12 muffins.

Modified considerably. Original source unknown.

Moroccan Stew

We’ve been harvesting a lot of green beans and zucchini lately. Some of the green beans are made into dilly beans which are wonderful on an appetizer tray but most of them are being blanched for use later in the winter. I have a few zucchini recipes I really enjoy but it is hard to keep up with zucchini once it decides to produce like rabbits in a room with no exit. Obviously the cayenne pepper sprinkled on a few zucchini a couple weeks ago did the trick. We’re no longer sharing our bounty with squirrels or whatever little pest was munching on them.

It’s so simple to substitute other vegetables in recipes for green beans or zucchini, however. The nutritional content may not be the same but it’s hard to beat vegetables you’ve grown yourself for freshness and a local food source. I’m reading another amazing book entitled The Zero Waste Home by Beá Johnson and she would be proud of my efforts.

Beá , her husband and two sons produce one quart of garbage per year! Can you even imagine that? I don’t know if we’ll get there but even if we adopt just a few of her ideas, we’ll have made a significant impact in our contribution to the garbage pile. The first one I’ve had down for years is using a stainless steel water bottle that I refill with tap water. Why did Americans so readily embrace the whole bottled water trend, I wonder? Ah, but it’s recyclable, you say. Ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? “While there’s still much we don’t understand about the garbage patch, we do know that most of it’s made of plastic. And that’s where the problems begin.” I would love to see people continue to consume water but choose reusable containers to enjoy it in instead of convenient, single use plastics. A thought to ponder.

This Moroccan Stew is so fantastic. The photos aren’t particularly interesting. I swear, the smell, the taste, ah, it’s just an amazing recipe. When I was eating chicken, I used to add 24 ounces of chicken to this when the bulk of the vegetables were poured in so that certainly could be considered for meat eaters.

Wine pairing:  I would go with a medium bodied Pinot Noir for this dish. There’s a balance of acidity and sweetness in the Moroccan Stew that marries well with a lighter Pinot that’s more focused on spice than it is on tannins.

Make Ahead Moroccan Stew

Moroccan stew

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1/8 tsp curry powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp butter

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 C finely shredded kale   *I substituted garden fresh green beans

4 (14 ounce) cans organic vegetable broth   *I use 7 cups vegetable broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 Tbsp honey

4 large carrots, chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

½ C chopped dried apricots

1 C dried lentils, rinsed

1 tsp ground black pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional)

1 Tbsp water (optional)

Combine cinnamon, cumin, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, turmeric, curry powder, and salt in a large bowl, reserve. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion in the butter until soft and just beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded kale and reserved spice mixture. Cook for 2 minutes or until kale begins to wilt and spices are fragrant. Pour the vegetable broth into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, honey, carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, garbanzo beans, dried apricots, and lentils. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer stew for 30 minutes or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked and tender. Season with black pepper to taste. If desired, combine optional cornstarch and water; stir into stew. Simmer until stew has thickened, about 5 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Note: I recently substituted garden fresh beans for the kale and put them in with the tomatoes, honey, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.

Recipe taken from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/make-ahead-vegetarian-moroccan-stew/

 

Places to sip vino in Vancouver

Vancouver boasts some nice places to enjoy good wine but some of them are a bit sleepy when I’m there which makes me think people just don’t go off the beaten path much so I’d like to share a few favorites. Most of these establishments don’t have extensive wine lists but, if you enjoy a thoughtful wine selection in a less kid-friendly environment, you should find some new spots in this line up.

Brewed Happy hours: Considered their ‘after 5pm menu’ that goes until 10pm

Why I like it: This place is a bright, inviting whole-in-the-wall and the wines are chosen by the owners who are happy to tell you about every bottle they offer

Charlie’s Bistro Happy hours: 3-6pm and after 9pm

Why I like it: I particularly enjoy the bar seating because the bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly but not imposing, outdoor summer seating in the courtyard, healthier options on their happy hour menu, live music on Friday nights from 7-9pm (times can vary)

Hudson’s Bar & Grill inside the Heathman Lodge Happy hours: 4-6pm daily

Why I like it: Intimate setting, varied and healthier happy hour menu, near Westfield Shopping Center but tucked into a quiet area

Latte Da Coffee House & Wine Bar – Happy hours 4-6pm

Why I like it: This place feels more coffee house-focused by they do have a thoughtful selection of local wines. Additionally, they have a fantastic outdoor space that is underused every time I’m there. It’s also in an old house which just feels cozy. The downside is they serve their wine in stemless glasses so I don’t order white wines here but I’m a bigger fan of reds anyway.

Rusty Grape Vineyard

Why I like it: Ok, this place can actually have a lot of kids running around because they’re big on a family atmosphere and it’s rarely ‘sleepy’ but it’s still one of my top places to enjoy local wine in Clark County. Jeremy and Heather have strived for several years to create a warm, inviting space and they must be doing something right because they consistently have only a few wines to choose from. Last night they had two reds but their Bicyclette Rouge paired perfectly with the sweet, soft voice of Ashley Jhaveri. An added bonus: Vintner’s Hours are 4:30-6:30pm every Thursday when their wines are $3 per glass

Enjoying wine in moderation

I haven’t written about wine in a long time which is a sad fact since this blog is entitled ‘Corks and Forks’. A question that sometimes comes to mind is how much is too much? Do you ever ask yourself that? I doubt I’m the only one. Oh, you can search the internet and it’ll tell you things like two drinks a day for women is within reasonable limits but ask yourself, really, two glasses of wine every day for life is considered healthy? I like wine but I’m not going to drink two glasses every day of the year for the next 40 years or so and really believe I’m not doing some kind of damage to my body. That is so naïve.

At the very least wine is nothing more than belly fat in a bottle and I’m a huge health freak. Conversely, I love wine so what’s a gal to do? Redefine ‘moderation’ because there’ll never be a shortage of people telling you what you want to hear. Is it at all interesting that one of the first things people who are diagnosed with cancer do is stop drinking alcohol or severely limit their intake (that and coffee, btw). I have a close friend who’s dealt with this and it has to do with our liver. Did you know that our liver is “the only human internal organ capable of natural regeneration of lost tissue; as little as 25% of a liver can regenerate into a whole liver”?

I spent some time with a personal trainer months ago who advised drinking no more than three times a week and making one month each year an alcohol-free month to give the liver a rest and allow it to function at peak performance. Think about it, “more than 500 vital functions have been identified with the liver” making this organ the very definition of a work horse. It deserves a break every now and again. Advise from another website states “Limit your alcohol consumption to one or two drinks, but never on a daily basis.”

Hey, it’s not my intention to be a Debbie Downer. I write a blog that celebrates wine. If someone told me I couldn’t have my weekly fix of a bold Cabernet Sauvignon or a peppery Zinfandel or a jammy Pinot Noir, I would be heart broken and that person would not want to stand too close to me when delivering the news, to be sure. I just wanted to stir up some beliefs in a world that tries to tell us to do whatever makes us feel good. Sometimes, less is more. So enjoy a glass of Syrah with your tuna steak and consider the possibility that one glass could be the healthier definition of moderation.

Tuna casserole with salmon and rice

Back in February of 2000 I left my job as an Account Executive for Hilton Hotels to be a stay-at-home. I spent a great deal of time that year teaching myself things that a lot of people probably feel women are instinctively born knowing. My mom has always been a terrific cook. She canned. She sewed. She raised two daughters who had no desire to learn anything our Grandma Thelma had taught mom and Aunt Georgia.

Life has a way of finding you right where you are and impressing things upon you right when you’re ready to be impressed. The saying “When the student is ready the teacher will appear” nearly fits here but not quite. When I mention that a lot of my recipes are so old I’m not able to find their original source, a lot of them came from this period in my life; a time when I scooted my husband out of the kitchen and took the time to figure out for myself how to boil water.

I married a man who knows how to do just about everything and does it all very well. He cooks, grocery shops, gardens, works on our cars, roofed our house, has helped friends install wood floors and cabinetry. I have seen him repair things that do not appear repairable with MacGyver-like skills. So, I guess I kind of rested on my laurels for many years just letting him do what he was adept at doing and went about being the kind of gal who was too independent to take the time to learn to cook.

Funny thing is it wasn’t until I took the time to learn how to cook that I felt more independent. This recalls another bit of wisdom “If you give a man a fish you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.” This is not to say that every time I walk into the kitchen, I have a huge smile on my face and can’t wait to concoct an amazing dinner but I genuinely take pride in a well-cooked meal that I put together.

Tuna casserole is one of those stand-by, tried-and-true, comfort food kind of dishes. Thing is I make my own condensed soup and have been doing it for so long that I can not stand the taste of the store bought version. Why should I when making it myself takes five minutes and is so much better tasting and better for me? The recipe is not vegan but it considerably healthier than soup out of a can.

The casserole itself I have tweaked considerably. Everyone who’s ever had it says it’s the best tuna casserole they’ve ever had. That’s saying a lot for an old stand by.

Condensed Cream Soup

2 Tbsp margarine

1 stalk of celery, washed and chopped

1 onion, diced

Tuna casserole with salmon and rice

2 Tbsp flour

1/3 C dry milk powder

1 C vegetable broth

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt butter in saucepan. Saute celery and onion. Blend in flour. Add milk and vegetable broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until smooth. *Equivalent to 10.5 ounce store-bought can.

Modified considerably. Original source unknown.

Tuna Casserole

1 batch of home made condensed soup

2 cans tuna, drained*

1 C frozen peas (optional)

2 C noodles*

½ C mayonnaise (or vegenaise)

Heat soup in a pan, add tuna and peas (if using) and simmer until peas are thawed. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring noodles to a boil in four cups of water. Cook for five minutes and drain. Add noodles to the soup-tuna mixture. Fold in mayonnaise to coat the dish. Place all in a casserole dish and heat in the microwave for 11 minutes. Makes 4 servings. *I usually double this recipe and instead of doubling the tuna, I add left over salmon and/or buy a can of salmon and add it in. Also, instead of doubling the noodles to 4 cups, I leave the noodles at 2 cups and add 1 ½ cups of brown rice. It is wonderful.

 

Pound cake and a clam shell rant

I’m very frustrated with the fact that plastic clam shells are no longer recyclable in the Vancouver/Portland area. More specifically, I’m frustrated with the fact that there is no longer a market for this plastic and yet we’re still finding it ALL OVER THE PLACE. If I want strawberries, blueberries, or pound cake at Winco, Safeway and a host of other grocery stores in our area, it all comes in this packaging. I could go on and on listing items that are packaged in clam shells.

My immediate solution is to no longer buy items packaged in clam shells. I went to Kaye’s Blueberries and bought 18 pounds of blueberries and even returned the pound cake I purchased at Winco. Fortunately, it was so tightly packaged with three different layers of plastic that returning it was not an issue.

Adding insult to injury, restaurants are still using these non recyclable clam shells as their to go boxes for food that you want to take away from their restaurants. Living in an area that is so big on recycling, I am absolutely baffled by this. We were at Nicholas Restaurant the other night (which is a fantastic Lebanese restaurant with three locations in the Portland area) and they brought us out these clam shells for the pizza my sister-in-law was unable to eat and I was so disappointed. They seem so progressive to me. There must be other options for these restaurants than giving us containers that are going to end up in land fills.

My hope is that the companies and restaurants still packaging with and giving out clam shells have ordered ahead and are simply using up this material before transitioning to a more earth friendly product.

Regardless, it has caused me to rethink some things so let me share the pound cake recipe I modified to be vegetarian friendly so we could still have chocolate fondue with our niece and nephew last night without chucking a hunk of plastic in a landfill. God forbid my eccentric rants would rob two precious teenagers of their birth right to indulge in spongy deliciousness coated in cocoa. As a bonus, the batter of this recipe was fantastic and the end result quite moist.

Delicious egg free, sugar free pound cake

Pound Cake

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/3 cups agave nectar

4 Tbsp tapioca flour

4 Tbsp water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups soy milk (add 1 Tbsp + 1 ½ tsp lemon juice into total measurement)*

*soy milk and lemon juice are a substitute for buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325° . Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan. Beat vegetable shortening with agave nectar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat tapioca flour and water into mixture. Mix vanilla into the mixture. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; stir into liquid ingredients in several additions, alternating with buttermilk substitute to make a smooth batter. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven until cake is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cake cool.

This recipe has been modified substantially. Original recipe with common ingredients of sugar and egg found at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/camilles-buttermilk-pound-cake/detail.aspx

Chickpea and Black Bean Salad

Did anyone see the incredible lightning storm last night? We were coming home from Charlie’s Bistro after another fantastic Boy and Bean music set and strikes lit up the sky in an amazing display throughout our drive.

To back track, if anyone ever has a chance to see Boy and Bean, they are a great young trio with a passion for depression era jazz. Lucky for us they cross the Columbia River once a month to perform at Charlie’s Bistro in downtown Vancouver. Service at Charlie’s is always good, their wine list is thoughtfully compiled and they have vegetable paella on the menu (among other things). I’ve wanted to try paella for years but it always has shell fish in it which I don’t care for. The combination of saffron brown rice, vegetables, olives and almonds is filling, satisfying and flavorful.

Needless to say, with the humidity being as high as it’s been, it’s a treat to go out and let other people do the cooking. It’s also great picnic weather and I’m in the mood for a cold salad with some protein. The Chickpea Salad recipe that follows was originally forwarded to me by my mom several years ago and it packs up quite nicely for an afternoon at the park, on the boat, or at a friend’s barbeque get together.

Completely unrelated, I added a photo of my gorgeous cat enjoying the strawberry patch just because I can.

Wine suggestion: My gutt really wants to pair this with an Old Vine Zinfandel from California. Zinfandel is a bit spicy and works well with chickpeas and cumin. If you’re looking for a white due to the season, try a German Riesling. I’m not a big fan of American Rieslings because they tend to be too sweet but Rieslings from Germany or the Alsatian region of France exhibit less oak and have more refreshing crispness that I think of fondly when considering a Riesling.

Chickpea & Black Bean Salad

Chickpea Salad

1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

3 scallions thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, washed and diced

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ c olive oil

1 ½ tsp cumin

1 ½ tsp sea salt

1/3 tsp ground black pepper

Combine the chickpeas, black beans, scallions and celery. Toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Let it set 10 minutes for the flavors to develop. Serves 4-6. *To make the salad more substantial, add crumbled feta cheese and several diced tomatoes.

Modified. Original source unknown.

My gorgeous cat – just ‘cuz I can

Bread and butter pickles

Canning is a natural extension of the results of a successful summer garden. One of the wonderful things about ‘natural, local and sustainable’ being embraced by so many restaurants is that pickle plates are popping up on menus and every one of them has a unique twist.

Inspired by our experiences, we started canning several years ago so our garden evolves a little bit every spring based on our nerve to try things we might not have considered. Our favorites tend to be beets, carrots, beans, and garlic. The garlic was originally a nod to my mom who is a huge fan of The Garlic Lady’s habañero pickled garlic. I’m not as daring as my mom or husband regarding spice but I do enjoy the milder version.

Sliced pickles with fresh garden cucumbers

The bread and butter pickle recipe below has been used to make sliced pickles, speared pickles and speared carrots. The idea to try carrots came from a topping available at Muchas Gracias in their condiment area that’s made on-sight daily.

For a more in-depth look into canning, Washington State University’s Extension program has excellent classes taught in Brush Prairie by Master Food Preservers trained through their program.

Bread and butter pickles

6 lb pickling cucumbers (4-to 5-inch)

8 C thinly sliced onions (about 3 lb)

½ C canning or pickling salt

4 C vinegar (5%)

4 ½ C sugar

2 Tbsp mustard seed

Speared pickled carrots with garden fresh carrots

1 ½ Tbsp celery seed

1 Tbsp ground turmeric

Yield.

About 8 pints

Procedure. Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16 inch off blossom end and discard. Cut into 3/16-inch slices. Combine cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add salt. Cover with 2 inches crushed or cubed ice. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours, adding more ice as needed. Drain. Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot. Boil 10 minutes. Add cucumbers and onions and slowly reheat to boiling. Fill pint or quart jars with slices and cooking syrup, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and use conventional boiling-water canner processing.

Variation for firmer pickles. Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16 inch off blossom end and discard. Cut into 3/16-inch slices. Mix 1 cup pickling lime and ½ cup salt to 1 gallon water in a 2-to 3-gallon crock or enamelware container.

Caution: Avoid inhaling lime dust while mixing the lime-water solution.

Soak cucumber slices in lime water for 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from lime solution, rinse, and resoak 1 hour in fresh cold water. Repeat the rinsing and soaking steps two more times in fresh water. Handle carefully-slices will be brittle. Drain well.

Variation, squash bread-and-butter pickles. Substitute slender (1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter) zucchini or yellow summer squash for cucumbers.

Storage. After processing and cooling, store your jars 4 to 5 weeks to develop ideal flavor.

Recipe courtesy of A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication Picking Vegetables

My notes: The basic procedure is good for sliced pickles. The procedure for firmer pickles would be used for long pickle spears, zucchini or yellow squash spears. Additionally, we use this recipe to pickle carrots and they make a wonderful addition to an afternoon appetizer plate.

Salmon and Pasta Salad

With temperatures staying consistently at 80 degrees and above for the next several days, I think a cold pasta salad is in order. There are so many to choose from but it really comes down to the flavors in the dressing.

What I like about the one below is that it calls for Dijon mustard. I had extra Mustard-Crusted Salmon from the blog I posted on July 28^th so I just cut that into small pieces, tossed it in with my pasta and left out the Dijon mustard in the dressing of this dish. A great way to use leftovers if you’re thinking ahead. I’d love to impress you by saying I planned it that way but I didn’t. Another serendipitous moment brought to you by Life.

I also like the fact that is calls for zucchini since it’s growing season and we have that in our garden. Unfortunately, the critter that’s chomping on our zucchini is really giving me a run for my money and I am harvesting less than it is. My husband thinks it’s a raccoon. How does something that big get around a six foot fence? I’m in awe but no less annoyed.

Wine suggestion: Chardonnay. Because of the fat feel of salmon, a lightly oaked Chardonnay with a hint of butter is a perfect choice. That’s not to say that salmon is fattening but that it is rich in texture. When I think of a good Chardonnay pairing foods like salmon, risotto, crab, chowder, and cream-based pastas come to mind because they have a richness about them that is delicately complimented by a quality Chard. I’ve stressed in the past that Chardonnay is not a favorite varietal of mine because it tends to be over manipulated resulting in too much oak or butter for my tastes. So, my go-to Chardonnay is Simi Winery’s Sonoma County Chardonnay.

Salmon and Pasta Salad

Salmon and Pasta Salad

2 C cooked pasta twists

1 lb salmon, cooked

1 C thinly sliced zucchini

½ C thinly sliced celery

½ C olive oil

2 tsp Dijon mustard    *I always add more of this. It’s great with salmon.

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

green leaf lettuce to garnish

In a medium-sized bowl, combine pasta, salmon, zucchini and celery. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and garlic powder; mix until smooth. Pour dressing over the salad; toss to blend. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. To serve, arrange salad on lettuce. Makes 8 servings.

*Once again, because I’ve been making this recipe since 1986, I am unable to site the author so just let it be known that this is not a recipe I created.